Not Applicable.
The challenge of applying herbicide, fertilizers, insecticides or the like at the same time as grass, weeds, or crops are mowed with a rotary motor, such as a Bush Hog, has been addressed in numerous patents. One of the latest, U.S. Pat. No. 5,237,803, sets out the general background.
One of the difficulties with prior art devices has been the atomization of the liquid, which leads to dispersion of the fluid in the form of vapor.
One of the objects of this invention is to provide a mower-applicator in which the particle size of the liquid being applied is readily controlled as is the area of its application.
Other objects will become apparent to those skilled in the art in light of the following description and accompanying drawing.
In accordance with one embodiment of this invention, generally stated, in a mower and liquid applicator having a housing with a top wall and a depending side wall, a cutter blade mounted to be rotated on a vertical central axis to define a plane of rotation, a baffle wall extends from an under surface of the housing top wall, spaced inboard from the housing side wall and extending downwardly from the housing top wall to a place above the cutter blade and inboard of outer ends of the cutter blade. A fan blade is mounted to be rotated on an axis coincident with the axis of rotation of the cutter blade, spaced inboard of and within the compass of the baffle wall and spaced to define a plane of rotation above the plane of rotation of the cutter blade. At least one spray nozzle is fixed with respect to the housing and baffle and blades, and is positioned to project a spray of liquid between the planes of rotation of the cutter blade and the fan blade. The spray nozzle is operatively connected to a conduit between the nozzle and a source of liquid.
In another embodiment, spray nozzles in side mowers of a batwing type mower are positioned in boxes mounted above the top walls of the outboard mower housings, and project spray downwardly through slots in the top wall, the spray nozzles themselves being shielded by the top wall against damage from stones and the like hurled by the cutting blades. In the center mower of the batwing, spray nozzles are mounted in a bracket spaced outwardly from a heavy curtain plate welded along the leading edge of the mower housing, through which spray is projected by the nozzles in a direction generally parallel to the ground, the nozzles being shielded by the curtain plate.
In the drawings, FIG. 1 is a top plan view of one illustrative embodiment of mower applicator of this invention;
FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 2xe2x80x942 of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view of a second embodiment of the device, with a source of liquid shown somewhat diagramatically;
FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 4xe2x80x944 of FIG. 3;
FIG. 5 is a top plan view of a second embodiment of mower-applicator of this invention;
FIG. 6 is a sectional view in side elevation, taken along the line 6xe2x80x946 of FIG. 5, showing a top wall of a mower housing with spray boxes mounted on it;
FIG. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 7xe2x80x947 of FIG. 5;
FIG. 8 is a view in front elevation in the direction shown by the line 8xe2x80x948 in FIG. 5;
FIG. 9 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 9xe2x80x949 of FIG. 5; and
FIG. 10 is a top plan view of this embodiment, with spray boxes removed, showing spray-admitting slots in the housing top wall.